Institutional Accreditation
Introduction

This Handbook provides information on institutional accreditation by the
New York State Board of Regents and the Commissioner of Education, acting
in their capacity as a nationally recognized institutional accrediting agency.

The principal purpose of institutional accreditation by the Regents and
the Commissioner of Education is to establish an accredited institution’s
eligibility for Title IV student aid programs established by the Higher
Education Act of 1965, as amended. The institutional accreditation process
is entirely voluntary on the part of the institution. The process is separate
from the State approval processes of the Regents and the Commissioner.

The institutional accreditation process is administered by the State Education
Department’s Office of Higher Education. Please direct inquiries to: